Wild cranberries, foraged in the bog near you, make for a spectacular holiday condiment - and a year 'round treat for that matter. Orange for added sweetness and contrast, jalapeno because everything is better with some added heat, amiright?

Pickling seems to intensify the heat of jalapenos in this opportunistic recipe for pickled okra. The opportunity for fresh okra is limited in these parts so making a jar or two when possible is just good sense.

Cilantro, jalapeno, cumin, oregano and lime make it Mexican. 51 ears of fresh corn make it a big batch. It's all rather straightforward. Best if you have big pots. Great for gifts -- this is one of SpecD's best loved holiday treats.

One hears of England's abundance of gooseberries time and again, but how often does one come across this elusive fruit here in America? Yet if one is in luck, one might find them at more progressive farm stands and this lovely jam is sure to follow.

Nutty Blondes--beautiful, lovable, tons of fun. Talking about cherries here. Almond and cherry are a much loved flavor combo. Here they are together again for the very first time in yellow cherry jam studded with bits of candied almond.

These delicious dogs are created in honor of the splendors of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, the best of them all. With bits of beef still visible, the spongy pink links in supermarkets will be forever spoiled once you try these.

A rather bold claim, yes. Perfectly ripe local strawberries, vanilla-scented sugar and a handful of wild strawberries make this the best we've ever had. Elegance is refusal; add nothing more. But to refuse a healthy serving would be inelegant indeed.